A Snowball's Chance
by VirgoMaiden
Summary: Sanji and Nami hold conversation about character and themselves over hot chocolate. What makes them tick, their thoughts on each other, and the proposition that might change it all...NamixSanji goodness. One shot


**A/N:** Nothing much, except enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece, Eiichiro Oda does. But soon, my pretties…**soon**… (_laughs maniacally while running away from the men in white coats_) **P.S**. Barely any "language" Yay me!

**A Snowball's Chance**

**By Virgo Maiden**

Nami sipped the warm cocoa in deep appreciation, getting a bit of whipped cream on the corner of her mouth in the process.

"This is very good, Sanji-kun," she said to the cook, smiling. "Made from scratch and _everything_. How long did it take?"

Sanji wiped his hands on a towel and sat opposite her with a mug of his own. "For you, my dear Nami-swan, it was no time at all. It's always worth it when it comes to you, my love."

Ignoring the comment, Nami took another deep swing and set the mug down. It was already half-empty, and she almost felt full from the amount she had drunk.

"So where is the rest of the crew?" she asked. "I know that Robin's in the cabin, but are the boys still on the island?"

Sanji nodded. "Apparently so, Miss Nami. Usopp raised the stakes for their little 'fight,' so I left while I could."

The two were talking about Usopp, Luffy, Zoro, and Chopper, obviously. Earlier that day, the entire crew had stopped at a winter island, and upon seeing it was deserted, decided to have a full-out snow war. Sanji had stuck around long enough to assist Robin and Nami, and when the two had left, he drifted out of it, proclaiming that ladies shouldn't stay on a big, empty boat by themselves. The remaining four had gone on undisturbed, more determined on winning the fight than ever. The last time he had checked, the Usopp – Chopper team was looking pretty good, dropping surprise "bombs" on a sleeping Zoro and clueless Luffy. Sanji was personally glad that he wasn't participating, as he had thought it originally a truly stupid cause, and was perhaps a little _too_ happy when Nami finally announced that she and Robin were done.

"I wonder if the stakes you're talking about involves money…" Nami mused, planning to propose later on a large game of poker and - quite obviously - win everything.

"Actually, it's on chores," Sanji snorted, shrugging. "Although I don't get what's so bad about _theirs_. I cook, I clean, _and_ take care of two radiantly beautiful women. And do you see me complaining? No."

Nami laughed. "That's because, Sanji-kun, you're not the type to complain. You're too nice to do something like that. That's why I envy you…"

Sanji looked up, surprised. Surely she didn't mean _that._ "What do you mean, Mellorine?" he inquired. "You shouldn't envy me. I envy _you_. I mean, _look_ at yourself! You constantly assert yourself, and you're incredibly confidant. When Arlong took over your village, you took all of the weight and fought hard to save them all. You lost your mother because of him, but still served under him without a second thought, or a single complaint. Miss Nami-san, all I've done has been becoming a sous chef at the Baratie, get stranded on a desert isle with Zeff, learn to fight properly, and learn how to keep my temper in check."

"But that's just _it_, Sanji-kun," Nami protested. "Your temper! And when you were stranded, didn't you say yourself that you would never refuse a human being the right of food and would give it to them no matter what? Sanji, all I'd be concerned about was the money being lost. Don't look at me like that, Sanji—'' she said quickly, "I know very well that I'm a money shark. Remember what I once said? The only things I love are money and mikan. I'm really not that good, Sanji."

It was quiet for a moment, and they could almost hear the cries of the boys outside. Nami took another sip of her cocoa, trying not to slurp.

"Why do you think…" Sanji said slowly, "The only things people find in themselves are faults? I mean, sure we all can have admirable traits, but…those are somehow almost always forgotten. I mean, if you took a test with 100 questions and got a 99, you would spend more time focusing on that one question you _missed_ instead of the 99 you got _right_. Why is that, you think?"

There was a pause. "Because it's so easy," Nami said quietly. "It's easy to find the faults in yourself because they seem so obvious compared to someone else's. Say you don't get math, at all, and you're constantly studying to get better. Now, there's this person. This person gets math, like you wish you could, and get this; they don't have to study at all. Now, you're so focused on how this one person is better than you, you don't notice that they envy you because you're so good at – oh, I don't know – cooking. The food that _they_ make tastes absolutely horrible, and they're constantly reading book after book to get better, and they always compare themselves to you. _You_, which cooking comes naturally to. _They_ get so absorbed in this that they don't notice that math problem I mentioned earlier. And so," she finished dryly, "the circle continues."

"And so is the fault with us humans," said Sanji, drinking his cocoa. "We're complete pessimists when is comes to ourselves."

"Here here," Nami said quietly, raising her mug.

It was quiet again, as Sanji drank. Nami instead gazed into her mug sadly.

"Sanji…" she said slowly, "Why are you so adamant when it comes to chasing me? I've refused you repeatedly, I've hit you, I've manipulated you, used you…_Why_? Why me?"

Sanji smiled. "I've sometimes asked myself that, actually. I mean, I know you use me, and hit me. I'm very aware of your numerous refusals – all 2,043 of them!…But, at the end of the day, I wouldn't really have it any other way. I guess it's because you do something, or say something, that makes me think you're still the person I met at the Baratie. I mean…sometimes I feel like I understand you better at the end of the day. Sometimes I'm still as clueless as ever. But you still always end up as the person I'd risk everything for to save." He stood up, taking her cup, and began washing them in the sink. "That's all."

Nami stared at Sanji's back. So he knew how cruel she was to him, and that didn't sway him? He sometimes asked himself why he liked her in the first place? When she let her guard down…that's when he felt like he understood her? A simple action of hers helped him understand her better? _How?_

"How?"

Sanji turned around. "Pardon, Miss Nami-san?"

"How can you keep this up?"

He smiled and turned towards her, wiping his hands on a towel. "I dunno," he said loftily. "I guess it's because of my character."

"Either way, you're pretty damn fixed on me."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Miss Nami-san."

"You do realize, Sanji," she said slowly, standing up and walking toward him, "That we have a snowball's chance in a _very warm place_ of being a successful couple?"

"I've always enjoyed accomplishing the impossible." Sanji said confidently, meeting her eyes, unwavering.

"Oh yeah?" she challenged. "Give me an example."

Sanji looked up, moving his mouth slightly, thinking. He brightened and smiled down at Nami. "How about this?" he asked, "Finding a woman who can make me put her above all others, no matter what, and…hm…" he looked puzzled for a moment. "Oh!" he then, without another word, bent down and kissed the corner of her mouth, getting the bit of whipped cream that was there.

The effect was immediate. Nami's eyes widened and she looked at him, confused. Her hand slowly moved to where he had kissed her, and her mouth moved like a fish's. Open, close. Open, close…

"Sanji-kun, I…" her eyes then flashed and she looked at him crossly. "You know if I slap you, it will completely be justified, right?"

"Of course, Mellorine," he said, beaming.

"What was that _for?!_" she demanded. Are you completely _insane?_"

"Not insane," he clarified. "Just enjoying accomplishing the impossible."

"Oh, and I was one of the '_Top Ten Impossible Things I Must Accomplish Before I Die'_ things on your list?"

"Not directly."

"Oh?" she challenged. "Then what was it?"

"_Find Woman That Puts All Others To Shame," _he clarified. "_Kiss Said Woman."_

"So I now put all women to shame?" Nami placed her hands on her hips. "Sanji, I'm a _pirate _for God's sake. There are _plenty_ of others better then me! _Big _emphasis on '_Plenty.'_"

"Mm, not in my book," he said happily.

Nami sighed in defeat before pulling out a chair and sitting. "I give up," she wailed. "No matter what I say, you never change your mind about me!"

"You're interesting," Sanji said sitting next to her. "A lot of the women I know would spend their time _seducing_ me, not convincing me that they're horrible."

"That's because I can't _handle_ love. I either run away or hurt someone," she said sourly, looking over at him, head in her hands.

Sanji stood up again, dusting off his pants.

"That is why, Miss Nami-san," he said, "I'm willing to prove you wrong. I don't think you can't handle love; you just haven't _found_ it."

Nami looked at him, eyebrow raised, questioning. "…And if I find someone I _do_ love and it's not you?" she asked.

Sanji took a deep, steadying breath. "Then I will try my hardest to cooperate," he said.

"Alright, Sanji," Nami said. "I'm yours. Just remember, though—'' she held up her hand "—Nothing leaves this room. I don't want you bragging to the rest of the crew, or anything. I don't want you putting out more of an effort for me than you already do. Am I forgetting anything?" she mused, index finger on her lip. "Oh, yes." She then, not missing a beat, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. Sanji's eyes, wide at the feeling of his lips on hers, slowly closed, lifting his hands, one on her waist and one on her back.

They stood like that for awhile, kissing. And when they finally came up for air, they stood like that for just as long.

Nami, reluctantly, pushed away and made her way to the door. "I'll see you later, Sanji-kun." she called. "Remember—'' she looked at him seriously. "_Nothing _leaves this room, okay?" Then, with a small smile, she gave an equally small "bye" and left.

Outside the galley, Nami could hear Sanji's cries of happiness. She made out a few "Mellorines," "Loves", and a loud "_**YES**__!" _

Smiling as well, Nami made her way down to her room, heart lighter than ever.

It was screaming _Yes!_ as well.

**A/N:** Modest, aren't they? XD This is my first attempt at a one shot and was written pretty quickly. However, it's the fourth draft of **one** idea…Took me long enough! XP And yes, _A very warm place _is that _very warm place._ However, I tried to make this more-12-year-old appropriate.

**EDIT:** I am aware that, a long, long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away) I said that this was going to be a multio chapter instead of the oneshot I had planned it to be. I think that it would be much better for this story of this was a oneshot, because I have driven myself into a lock where pretty much nothing will happen.

-VM


End file.
